This invention relates to a system for the utilization of waste heat from a room where waste heat is generated, such as a boiler room, equipment room, power plant and the like, to heat a fluid and thereby lower the ambient temperature of the room. The heated fluid may thereafter be used directly, as in a hot water system, or may be pumped through a secondary heat exchanger whereby the heat may be extracted for other purposes.
The room where waste heat is generated will hereinafter be referred to as a boiler room.
It is well known that the temperature of the air in a boiler room is often so high as to make it unbearable for an individual to remain in a boiler room for an extended period of time. Methods and systems which have previously been used for reducing the ambient temperature in boiler rooms generally include such as air conditioning systems, exhaust systems and various forms of boiler area insulation. It has been found however, that even where the systems are effective for their intended purposes, a large amount of usable heat is still wasted. In addition, some of the prior systems, especially air conditioning systems utilizing compressors, are costly to operate.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which overcomes the aforesaid disadvantages by removing waste heat from a boiler room and thereafter utilizing such waste heat, without requiring the costly mechanisms employed by some of the prior art systems.
As mentioned heretofore, systems for the removal of heat from a room, and systems for the use of excess heat from a boiler are both well known. For example, U.S. Pats. Nos. 1,697,591 to Dowd, Jr.,; 1,710,529 to Bell; 1,871,166 to Fahrbach and 3,242,976 to Morton, are concerned with the use of boiler flue gases to pre-heat entering combustion air, and these are basically used as a pre-heater for the boiler. However, while these systems may have the effect of reducing the boiler room air temperature, it is still necessary with these systems to use boiler room air conditioning units and exhaust systems with their attendant expense and waste of energy.
There are other types of pre-heaters, such as the pre-heating of air for a dryer for a commercial laundry as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,308 to Haried, a heat saver for a coal burning boiler as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,689 to Methmann, and a recuperator for gas turbine power plants as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,673 to Hernsworth et al. But, while these patents are concerned with the use of pre-heaters, there is no suggestion for the removal of heat from the ambient air in a boiler room nor for the recovery or use of the removed heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,878,542 to Richardson, which relates to a method and apparatus for conditioning mine air by forcing the hot mine air through a curtain of water in order to cool the air, and thereafter cooling the water by heat exchange with brine in turn cooled in a water tower, does not suggest cooling a boiler room or using the heat removed therefrom.
In summary, none of the above-referenced patents discloses using the heat from a boiler room to heat a fluid and thereafter removing the heated fluid from the boiler room so as to, on the one hand, reduce the temperature of the ambient air of the boiler room and, on the other hand, provide for a heated fluid medium which can be used directly or from which heat can be extracted, for some useful purpose.